Harness-buckle.



Patented Sept. l2, I899.

J. A. GAVITT.

HARNESS BUCKLE.

(Application filed Apr. 22, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES PATENT JAMES ALEXANDER GAVITT, OF XVAITSBURG, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO FRANK B. CHAPMAN, OF POMEROY, VASHINGTON.

HARNESS-BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 632,996, dated September 12, 1899.

Application filed April 22.1899. Serial No- 714,06l. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES ALEXANDER GAVITT, of Waitsb u rg, in the county of lValla alla and State of Washington, have invented a new and Improved Harness-Buckle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 7

The object of the invention is to provide a harness-buckle especially adapted as a trace- :0 buckle, but which may be used with equally good effect upon light or upon heavy harness, and to so construct the buckle that it will be light, durable, and inexpensive and capable of being conveniently manipulated I5 to effect a connection or disconnection between two straps.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth,

and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the buckle applied to a trace, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through a portion of the buckle and a portion of the trace.

A represents the body of the buckle, and B the tongue thereof. The body of the buckle consists of two side bars 10, that are bent to substantiallyan 8 form, one end of the buckle curving downward and the other end upward. These side bars are connected by a cross-bar 11, located at the top and serving to connect said side bars at their upper ends, a second cross-bar 12, which connects the side bars at their lower ends, and an intermediate crossbar 13, thatis located at the top or outer face of the buckle between the center and the cross-bar 12. A loop 14: is formed on each cross-bar, and said loops extend in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 1, while a double loop 15 is formed adjacent to the upper or outer cross-bar 11. A central plate 16 connects the side pieces 10 at their bottom or inner edges, and a slot 17 is made in the said plate 16 at or near its center, the said slot facing in direction of the line of draft.

The tongue l3 consists of a plate or bar 18,

having a flat under face, and a pin 19 is projected from the fiat or under face of said plate or bar aboutcentrally between its ends. This pin is adapted to enter any one of the usual eyelets 20, made in a trace D, the free end of which trace is passed through a loop or strap 21, secured upon a collar or hame strap C, said collar or hame strap being provided with a loop to receive the cross-bar 12 of the buckleframe, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. One end of the body-bar 18 of the tongue Bis reduced,

as shown at 22 in Fig. 2, While at the other end of said body-bar of the tongue ahead 25 is formed, and the under surface of the reduced portion 22 of the body-bar of the tongue B and likewise the under surface of the head 25 of the tongue are flattened and are in the same plane as the flattened under surface of the body-bar, as is also shown in Fig. 2.

In operation the pin 19 of the tongue is passed through an eyelet 20 in the trace D, and the trace is then drawn through the collar or hame-strap untilthe pin 19 fully enters the slot 17 in the bottom or inner plate 16 of the buckle-frame, and at that time the reduced portion 22 will have entered a recess 23 formed in the under face ofthe cross-bar 12, and a similar recess 24 is made in the intermediate cross-bar 13, through which the body portion of said tongue slides. When the reduced portion of the tongue is beneath the cross-bar 11, the head 25 of the tongue will be in engagement with the front face of the intermediate cross-bar 13, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus it will be observed that when the trace is subjected to tension considerable strain is removed from the pin 10, which has bearing against the end wall of the slot 17 by reason of the head 25 having bearing directly against theintermediate cross-bar13. When the straps are to be adjusted upon one another, the trace is carried forward upon the collar or hame-strap until the tongue Bis entirely removed from the frame of the buckle, whereupon the pin of said tongue may be introduced into any proper eyelet in the trace. The buckle is entirely free from springs and is simply and durably constructed, and it is evident that it can. be manipulated as readily with a gloved hand as with an un- 10o gloved hand. It is also obvious that the buckle may be made extremely light and may be adapted to any style of harness.

When the trace or tug fills the space or throat of the buckle, it is almost impossible for the trace or tug to drop away from the tongue of the buckle, since the plate 16, through which the pin 19 of the tongue B passes, holds the strap or tug firmly to its place.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A buckle, comprising a frame provided with spaced top cross members, and with a bottom cross member intermediate of thetop member and having a slot extending out through one edge, and a straight baror tongue independent of the frame and having a head at one end and a pin projecting from the under side at about the center of its length, said tongue being adapted to be applied to a strap and then passed with the strap into the frame to lie under the top cross members thereof, with its head resting against one of said cross members and its pin in the slot of the bottom cross member, substantially as described.

2. A buckle, comprising a frame provided with spaced top cross-bars, one of which is recessed on its under face and with abottom cross-bar intermediate of the top bars and having a slot extending out through one edge, a tongue independent of the frame, said tongue having one end reduced to enter the recess of the said top cross-bar and provided at its other end with a head to rest against the other top cross-bar and about midway between its ends with a pin to enter the slot of the lower cross bar, substantially as described.

3. A buckle, consisting of a frame formed of side bars bent downwardly at one end and connected by a cross-bar, two spaced top crossbars one of which is recessed on its under face at the center, and a bottom plate intermediate of the cross-bars and having a slot extending out through one edge, and an independent tongue having one end reducedof the bottom plate, the said tongue having a fiat under face and adapted to be applied to a strap and passed with it into the frame, substantially as herein shown and described.

JAMES ALEXANDER GAVITT.

\Vitnesses:

SMITH Iloors, .l. W.- HIGHLAND. 

